Douglas, Alabama
22 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1885 and the latest in 1984. It stands in the Douglas census division. It lies in ZIP code area 35980. The Survey maps it on the Douglas quadrangle. 761 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 945 feet above sea level.
Population over time
3 figuresDouglas grew from 201 to 761 between 1970 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 201 | |
| 2010 | 744 | |
| 2020 | 761 | +17 (+2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
13 surveys from 22 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1885 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:125000
- 1888 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:125000
- 1892 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:125000
- 1895 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:125000
- 1903 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1936 USGS High Point quadrangle1:24000
- 1956 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Douglas quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1963 USGS Gadsden quadrangle1:250000
- 1975 USGS Douglas quadrangle1:24000
- 1984 USGS Guntersville quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
66 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 66 fires within 5 miles of Douglas between 1997 and 2019, burning about 299 acres in total. None started naturally. 9 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 31 |
| Debris and open burning | 21 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 9 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 1998 | Arson/incendiarism | 35 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 8 September 1998 | Arson/incendiarism | 4.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 6 September 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | NER-20140906-001 |
| 6 September 1998 | Arson/incendiarism | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 28 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20160928-10 |
| 26 September 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | NOR-20140926-001 |
| 24 September 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | 4.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 23 September 2010 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
37 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Douglas in 37 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 25 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | 1 hurt, $200 | A tree was knocked down onto a mobile home on Plunkett Drive. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $20,000 | Trees and powerlines were knocked down along Boaz Highway from the county line to New Clear Creek Road. Time estimated by radar. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $20,000 | Several trees and some power lines were blown down on many roads between Douglas and Horton. Some of the roads affected included: Whitten Road, Oak Grove, Jolley Drive, Strange Road, and Highway 75 S. Also, a tree was blown down on a mobile home on Horton-Nixon Chapel Drive. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $18,000 | Trees were knocked down. Tree limbs and tree tops snapped off on Formby and Bethlehem roads behind Douglas High School. A chicken house was also destroyed on Formby road. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $10,000 | A few 12 inch diameter trees were sheared at between 70 and 80 feet high off of the ground by thunderstorm winds. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $10,000 | Treetops were snapped from trees and limbs were blown from trees. Some structural damage was reported. |
| May 2009 | Flash Flood | Douglas | $10,000 | Heavy rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms caused several roads to be flooded in eastern portions of Marshall county. These roads included: Summerville Road and Forest Forest Grove Road. More serious flooding occurred on Old Jordan Road, Gene Brown Road, and Needmore Road. In these locations, roads were closed and a few bridges were washed out. One of these bridges was White Oak Creek bridge, which crosses a portion of Slab Creek. |
| January 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $8,000 | no account filed |
| January 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $7,000 | no account filed |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $6,000 | Several trees were reported down int he Mount Hebron area near Douglas. Some trees fell on houses. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $5,000 | Several trees were snapped and uprooted along Dyar Road between Mount Hebron Road and Old Jordan Road. Time estimated by radar. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $5,000 | Fifty to sixty mph winds were reported and blew off some awning at a school. |
| May 2009 | Flood | Douglas | $5,000 | Heavy rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms caused several roads to be flooded in eastern portions of Marshall county. These roads included: Summerville Road and Forest Forest Grove Road. More serious flooding occurred on Old Jordan Road, Gene Brown Road, and Needmore Road. In these locations, roads were closed and a few bridges were washed out. One of these bridges was White Oak Creek bridge, which crosses a portion of Slab Creek. |
| April 1997 | Hail | Douglas | $5,000 | Hail the size of quarters was reported by a ham spotter in Douglas, in the south part of the county. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $3,000 | Trees were snapped along New Clear Creek Road north of Mount Hebron Road. Time estimated by radar. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $3,000 | Trees were reported down at the intersection of Concord road and highway 75. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $2,000 | Multiple trees were knocked down along the 4200 block of Mount Hebron Road. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $2,000 | Trees were knocked down on Bethleham Road. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $2,000 | A tree was blown down on Woodum road. |
| August 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $1,000 | A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $1,000 | A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds on Mount Hebron road near Douglas, Alabama. |
| April 2011 | Lightning | Douglas | $1,000 | Lightning struck a power pole in Albertville. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $500 | A tree was knocked down across the highway near the intersection of Hambrick Road and New Clear Creek Road. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | $200 | A tree was knocked down near the intersection of Highway 75 and West Concord Road. |
| February 2025 | Tornado (EF1) | Douglas | - | The tornado rapidly developed along a line of severe thunderstorms entering southwestern Marshall County, first snapping several softwood trees along Mount Hebron Road. The tornado continued along this road as it approached Mount Hebron Douglas Road, snapping large softwood branches along its path. The most concentrated damage occurred just northeast of the intersection with Mount Hebron Douglas Road, where several farm outbuildings and barns were destroyed. This was at and immediately east of the intersection with New Clear Creek Road. Here, a power pole was snapped about 5 to 7 feet from the top of the pole. Also at this location, a cattle trailer was overturned and moved several feet. A well-built farm outbuilding suffered collapsed walls at this location. The tornado continued northeast of this location to the farm next door, destroying a small hay barn and another farm outbuilding across the street. This particular building had a covered overhang and was open on the end where the tornado approached, which contributed to it's failing. Other damage was noted in the vicinity of Mount Hebron Road to the north and the south, which was mainly large branches blown down or sporadic trees that were broken. This was determined to be related to straight-line winds. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | - | Trees were reported down on Bethleham road. |
| March 2017 | Hail | Douglas | - | Nickel sized hail was reported. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | - | Several trees were knocked down. |
| March 2015 | Hail | Douglas | - | Quarter sized hail was reported on Highway 75 near the Blount County line. |
| March 2012 | Hail | Douglas | - | Quarter sized hail was reported. |
| March 2012 | Hail | Douglas | - | Hail up to quarter sized was reported. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | - | Severe thunderstorm winds knocked down trees along highway 75 in the Douglas city limits. |
| June 2006 | Hail | Douglas | - | Nickel sized hail was reported in Nixon Chapel. |
| February 2005 | Hail | Douglas | - | Nickel size hail reported. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | - | A few trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds. |
| November 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Douglas | - | A few trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds. |
| June 2003 | Flash Flood | Douglas | - | flash flooding with water over horton road. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reedbrake (historical) | 1.0 miles | 22 | |
| Horton | 2.4 miles | 22 | |
| Friendship (historical) | 2.6 miles | 22 | |
| Mount Hebron | 2.8 miles | 22 | |
| Bartlett (historical) | 3.6 miles | 22 | |
| Nixon Chapel | 3.9 miles | 23 | |
| Bowen (historical) | 4.2 miles | 23 | |
| Whitesville | 4.3 miles | 23 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Douglas | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q66753 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 117427. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.












